Wilder schools

Become a Wilder School with us! By registering one of your staff members as a Wilder School Leader, your school can gain access to exclusive training and networking opportunities for your staff. We offer downloadable activities that can help your school make more space for nature and incorporate it into your curriculum. 

Cost: Free

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Our Forest School sessions help to deliver and support the Natural Curriculum. It’s a great way to connect children with nature and develop skills to help them become independent and creative learners. 

Sessions can be adapted to suit all ages, abilities and interests, and our Level 3 qualified Forest School leaders work closely with school staff to ensure all needs are met. Our Forest School programme comprises of six or more sessions with groups of around 12 – 15 children or young people. Sessions usually run on consecutive weeks, for at least two hours. Pre-visits and talks to schools, parents and children are also available in advance of sessions taking place.

As the weeks pass and the children become more confident in the Forest School setting they are encouraged to initiate their own play. Our leaders are trained in developing individual learning styles and allowing children to learn at their own pace.

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Example activities include:

• Den building
• Safe fire lighting and fire management
• Campfire cooking
• Scavenger hunts
• Boat building
• Woodcraft activities using simple tools and natural resources
• Stories with themes of the natural world
• Sculpture and art using natural materials

What is Forest School?

Forest School is a system of learning in an outdoor classroom through a range of practical skills and achievable tasks which build confidence, self-esteem and independence. Developed in Sweden in the 1950’s, the benefits of Forest School are internationally recognized for children and young people of all ages and abilities.

What will it consist of? 

• Six or more sessions in a local woodland with the same group of 12-15 youngsters
• A stimulating and innovative learning programme linked to individual learning styles
• Activities linked to seasonal change
• The use of tools to work with natural materials

Participants will:

• Develop and share new skills
• Grow in self- confidence and self esteem
• Be independent
• Assess and manage risk
• Problem solve
• Explore and discover the natural world
• Grow in environmental awareness

Providing people with the opportunity to connect with the natural world is at the heart of what we do. We believe that equipping teachers and leaders with the skills and confidence to take groups outside is a key way this can be achieved. Our training programmes can help you develop new skills, or hone the ones you already have to provide children, young people and adults with the best possible outdoor experience.

Find a course for you

Choose from one of our packages or work with our Education Officer’s to create a tailor-made package which matches your group’s requirements. For more information please contact us. Please note that due to high demand, we recommend six months advance booking.